Friday’s Headlines Go Back to the Future
If you liked the first Trump administration's transportation policies, you're going to love the second Trump administration's transportation policies.
By
Blake Aued
2:17 AM EDT on July 19, 2024
- Project 2025’s plans for a second Trump administration call for rolling back the Biden administration’s safety and emissions regulations, and letting states spend federal transportation block grants on whatever they want, including highways. (CityNerd, Jalopnik)
- A U.S. DOT report lays out some common-sense solutions for reducing carbon emissions from transportation: land-use reform allowing people to live closer to their jobs and other destinations, and investment in rail, transit and electric vehicle charging stations. (Smart Cities Dive)
- When Biden administration funding for safer streets trickles down to cities, it’s running up against local opposition. (NPR)
- A University of Washington study found that new Vision Zero-style projects don’t actually hurt small business sales, even if small business owners worry they will. (Streetsblog USA)
- Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration seems to be maliciously sitting on hundreds of millions of federal dollars for public EV chargers. (Phoenix)
- Nashville Metro Council members approved ballot language for a $3.1 billion transit referendum in November. (Tennessean)
- The Houston Metro is canceling bus rapid transit projects ostensibly to focus on cleanliness and crime on existing lines. (Houston Public Media)
- An Indiana senator urges Indianapolis to show progress on Vision Zero to convince the state legislature it will work. (Star)
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced $500 million to replace a Harrisburg bridge along I-83. (Pennsylvania Capitol-Star)
- Kansas City is putting four-lane stroads on road diets. (The Beacon)
- Republican National Convention attendees appeared to be steering clear of The Hop streetcar for political reasons, despite the convenience. (Journal-Sentinel)
- A TikTok influencer explains why speed limits can never take the place of safe street design. (The Cool Down)
- Forgive me father, for I was speeding. (Church Life Journal)
Blake Aued has been doing Streetsblog's daily national news digest for years. He's also an Atlanta Braves fan, which enrages his editor in New York.
Read More:
Streetsblog has migrated to a new comment system. New commenters can register directly in the comments section of any article. Returning commenters: your previous comments and display name have been preserved, but you'll need to reclaim your account by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-in form, entering your email, and following the verification link to set a new password — this is required because passwords could not be carried over during the migration. For questions, contact tips@streetsblog.org.
More from Streetsblog USA
Where the Hottest Blocks in Your City Are — And How To Cool Them Down
A cutting-edge tool is helping city leaders identify where they most badly need street trees, bus shelters, and more.
April 15, 2026
Wednesday’s Headlines Hop on Board Carefully
Riding the bus is safe. Walking to and from the bus stop, not so much.
April 15, 2026
Ask An Insurance Industry Insider: Safe Streets Are The Best Way To Bring Down Insurance Costs
Insurance companies and personal injury lawyers exist because streets aren't safe. So shouldn't we start there instead of tweaking a broken system?
April 15, 2026
What If All Cars Were Autonomous, Electric, and Free?
Can we really solve the problems of car dominance just by making cars less destructive?
April 14, 2026
“Why Do We Do This Bill?”: Preparing Congressional Staff for Surface Transportation Reauthorization
A top advocacy organization is preparing Congress to take a critical look at the upcoming transportation reauthorization — and it's not easy.
April 14, 2026